How millions of counterfeit N95 masks are 'sneaking in' to the United States
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Millions of counterfeit N95 masks have been sold to hospitals and medical facilities across the country, prompting worry among frontline workers—and spurring a flurry of federal investigations into the scams.
According to Chaun Powell, VP of disaster response for
Premier, a major hospital supply company, the nation's use of N95s has increased from an average of 25 million per year to 300 million in 2020. As a result, hospitals and other medical facilities have had to look beyond their usual supply chain for personal protective equipment—creating a ripe opportunity for fraudsters to "sneak in," Powell explained.